Re: [Biofuel] Okay, This time I really am going to take down the list, , , , but first, please read

[Vin Lava]

I also have a farm in the Philippines that uses Natural Farming Technology.
I'm interested. Thanks, Chipper! :-)

On Thu, Mar 16, 2017 at 11:33 PM, Chip Mefford  wrote:

>
>
> Good day all of you who are left,
>
> I really want to thank everyone who has sent their
> thoughts on taking the list down. There have been
> some, , no, not some, all, great stories.
>
> Before I take the list down, ,
> I was wondering how many of you are still interested in keeping
> something like this going.
>
> reason I ask is that I am becoming involved in a
> new software project that I find very exciting, and
> hence have chosen to do the work to update my
> respective servers, including the mailing list server.
>
> Kind of a pain in the neck, I went through a life-change
> over the last 6 years, and walking away from all things
> IT was part of that. Since I had many dangling obligations
> (being a denizen of the internet) I tapered it all down
> to where about the only thing I was responsible for was
> this mailing list. However, that particular attempt
> at resolving some things in my life by not doing
> systems administration have cropped back up again,
> so that wasn't the fix for which I had hoped.
>
> So, it doesn't make sense really to abandon all those
> skills I had developed, even though I am moving into
> my dotage, (heh) but rather to double down and dive back
> in.
>
> The project of which I speak is FarmOS
>
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCOqg5iH6fM
>
> Take a look, give me some feedback, if there is interest,
> I'll migrate some or all of this list into a new
> community.
>
> Thanks kindly for your attention in this matter;
>
> --chipper
> ___
> Sustainablelorgbiofuel mailing list
> Sustainablelorgbiofuel@lists.sustainablelists.org
> http://lists.eruditium.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/sustainablelorgbiofuel
>



-- 
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can
change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."

Margaret Mead
___
Sustainablelorgbiofuel mailing list
Sustainablelorgbiofuel@lists.sustainablelists.org
http://lists.eruditium.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/sustainablelorgbiofuel

Re: [Biofuel] Keith Addison

[Vin Lava]

My deepest sympathies, Midori. This list, along with the JTF website, is
among Keith's legacies. May he rest in peace.

Vin Lava
Manila, Philippines

On Wed, Nov 5, 2014 at 10:34 PM, robert rabello rabe...@shaw.ca wrote:

 I'm deeply saddened to hear the news of Keith's demise. Over the years I
 developed deep respect for his intellect and commitment to the earth. May
 Midori and all his other loved ones find peace in their grief, knowing that
 Keith lives on in the hearts of all who knew him.

 Robert Luis Rabello
 ___
 Sustainablelorgbiofuel mailing list
 Sustainablelorgbiofuel@lists.sustainablelists.org
 http://lists.eruditium.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/sustainablelorgbiofuel




-- 
This communication may be unlawfully collected and stored by the National
Security Agency (NSA) in secret. The parties to this email do not consent
to the retrieving or storing of this communication and any related
metadata, as well as printing, copying, re-transmitting, disseminating, or
otherwise using it. If you believe you have received this communication in
error, please delete it immediately.
___
Sustainablelorgbiofuel mailing list
Sustainablelorgbiofuel@lists.sustainablelists.org
http://lists.eruditium.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/sustainablelorgbiofuel

Re: [Biofuel] Testing the new list

[Vin Lava]

Working here in the Philippines.

On Wed, Oct 31, 2012 at 6:50 AM, Ivan Menchero imench...@hotmail.comwrote:

 working

 From: david
 Sent: Tuesday, October 30, 2012 9:14 AM
 To: sustainablelorgbiofuel@lists.sustainablelists.org
 Subject: Re: [Biofuel] Testing the new list

 Testing 123...

   Tue Oct 30 2012 2:11:43 pm CET CET from Dawie Coetzee 
 dawie_coet...@yahoo.co.uk Subject: Re: [Biofuel] Testing the new list
   Let's see: testing ... testing ...-D






 
 From: Chip Mefford c...@well.com
 To: sustainablelorgbiofuel@lists.sustainablelists.org
 Sent: Tuesday, 30 October 2012, 14:54
 Subject: [Biofuel] Testing the new list


 Okay list;

 We're almost there. Keith is having issues posting to the list.

 I'm supposing this is due to the DNS changes that I made for the
 new list not fully propagating across everything as of yet.

 Also, the new email address (@lists.sustainability.org, rather than @
 sustainability.org) isn't
 filtering into the archive as of yet. So, none of this chatter is
 being archived as of yet. Which is fine.

 I'd actually appreciate a few echos from you all. My logs show all the
 email except a small handfull being delivered promptly.

 And Zeke, all I got was a modest amount of rain, wind never topped
 20mph. So
 we're doing fine. Back home in WV, the snow fall is being measured in
 feet, and
 is still pounding down. Good be some happy telemarkers this week. But
 things
 are going to be messed up, and There Will Be Flood.
 ___
 Sustainablelorgbiofuel mailing list
 Sustainablelorgbiofuel@lists.sustainablelists.org

 http://lists.eruditium.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/sustainablelorgbiofuel






(, 0 bytes) [View| Download]







 
 ___
 Sustainablelorgbiofuel mailing list
 Sustainablelorgbiofuel@lists.sustainablelists.org
 http://lists.eruditium.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/sustainablelorgbiofuel
 ___
 Sustainablelorgbiofuel mailing list
 Sustainablelorgbiofuel@lists.sustainablelists.org
 http://lists.eruditium.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/sustainablelorgbiofuel

___
Sustainablelorgbiofuel mailing list
Sustainablelorgbiofuel@lists.sustainablelists.org
http://lists.eruditium.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/sustainablelorgbiofuel

[Biofuel] What to do with Municipal Solid Waste (MSW)

[Vin Lava]

Hi,

A friend of mine has the contract to haul about 1500 metric tons per day of
MSW generated by one of the cities in Metropolitan Manila. We were talking
about how we could make the most use of this the other day. I mentioned the
possibility of a Composting Project, a Landfill Gas to Energy Project, and a
Biochar/Producer Gas Project. Knowing next to nothing about such large-scale
projects, I thought I'd ask the List for advice on any existing projects
anyone would know about along those lines.

Thanks and regards.

Vin Lava
Manila, Philippines
-- next part --
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: /pipermail/attachments/20100520/ca0f260b/attachment.html 
___
Biofuel mailing list
Biofuel@sustainablelists.org
http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainablelorgbiofuel

Biofuel at Journey to Forever:
http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html

Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (70,000 messages):
http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/

[Biofuel] Looking for Diesel Plant (Copaifera langsdorfii) seeds

[Vin Lava]

Hi,

Can anyone point me to a reputable supplier of Copaifera langsdorfii
seeds? We have some land in the Philippines I'd like to try it out on.
:-)

Thanks in advance.

Vin Lava

___
Biofuel mailing list
Biofuel@sustainablelists.org
http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org

Biofuel at Journey to Forever:
http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html

Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages):
http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/

Re: [Biofuel] Biofuel] Winter woes

[Vin Lava]

Hi Keith,

 I also found a 5-litre LPG tank, still full, which we're now using for process pre-heating because our $8 roarer kero pressure stove from India broke a pressure valve and there's not much hope of
 getting a replacement. It lasted nearly three years, not bad. I'd really like to get another kero pressure stove, we ran it on 100% biodiesel with no problems but we were only about halfway through
 tests on using mixes of kero and SVO to help reduce kero costs and use in 3rd World countries, since lots of people have asked us for help with that. If anyone in India or Southeast Asia would be
 prepared to buy one locally and ship it to us if we paid for everything we'd be most grateful.I see a lot of those stoves here. Some are gravity-fed, some have a small pump to build up pressure. I'm going to Manila'sChinatown today and will look for the kerosene stove you want. I'll let you know how it goes and we can work from there. You want the stove with a pump? How many do you need? :-)
 All best - stay warm, try not to listen to the mocking laughter of those among us who have the good sound sense to live south of the Equator.

Brrr. It's cold here - 24 Celsius at 14 deg 37 min North. :-)Regards.

Vin Lava
Manila, Philippines
___
Biofuel mailing list
Biofuel@sustainablelists.org
http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org

Biofuel at Journey to Forever:
http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html

Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages):
http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/

Re: [Biofuel] Jatropha

[Vin Lava]

Hi Doug,

We have Jatropha here. I planted a couple of seedlings in our home garden here but i don't know what typethey are yet. Igot them at a plant nursery nearby. The stuff I have is said to flower after a year. The lady I bought the seedlings from said they have a lot of seeds in their home province of Cebu. From what I gather, Jatropha is endemic in the Philippines and the leaves are used as a poultice for sprains. The seeds are said to be toxic, but there might also be thenon-toxic type around too.


We also have them growing wild on our farm in Bukidnon Provincewhere I had our caretaker propagate some cuttings.If you're interested I could follow up these leads. BTW, how do you differentiate the toxic from the non-toxic Jatropha?


Where are you located?

Regards.

Vin Lava
Manila, Philippines



Message: 1Date: Sat, 17 Dec 2005 18:00:26 +0700From: lres1 
[EMAIL PROTECTED]Subject: [Biofuel] JatrophaTo: Biofuel@sustainablelists.orgMessage-ID: [EMAIL PROTECTED]Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
Hello all,Am in a bit of a quandary as to Jatropha nuts for Bio fuel.I have been advised that the non toxic variety of Jatropha found in Mexico produces no oil for relatively simple processing to bio fuelwhere that ofthe toxic variety yields oil.
Fable or fallacy?Still have found no place to buy the Mexican seeds, is the above the reason why?Thank you to any one that can help make things fly here without long term damage to the environment but using such plants for land stability, the slowing of land erosion and river bank stability as well as for banks for rice terraces and hedges. How much silt does the Mekong river carry each year that could be reduced by such planting?
Doug
___
Biofuel mailing list
Biofuel@sustainablelists.org
http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org

Biofuel at Journey to Forever:
http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html

Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages):
http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/

[Biofuel] Vehicles suitable for biodiesel operation

[Vin Lava]

Hi,

I'm setting up to homebrew biodiesel in a month or so.

I'm being offered a 1985 Mercedes Benz 190D in reasonably decent condition.What do I need to do touse biodiesel in it? What should I look out for?We also have an early 90'sNissan Largo with the small (2.0L?) diesel and a mid-90'sIsuzu Bighorn with the 
3.1L intercooler turbodiesel. What do I need to do to run them on biodiesel? Any info would be much appreciated. :-)

Thanks and regards.

Vin Lava
Manila, Philippines
___
Biofuel mailing list
Biofuel@sustainablelists.org
http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org

Biofuel at Journey to Forever:
http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html

Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages):
http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/

Re: [Biofuel] Vehicles suitable for biodiesel operation

[Vin Lava]

Hi,

Thanks for the info! Filters will not be a problem.

Regards.

Vin
On 12/11/05, Mike Weaver [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
Filters should be it. Jan is right - keep at least one if not twoaround, especially if your cars have a lot of miles of dino on them.
190D's area a blast 35 mpg+ and great acceleration.The 5 speeds arethe best.If you really want to careful you could poke along the fuel line to besure there is no rubber.I don't *think* it will be an issue with the
MB but you could check.I don't know about the others.Good luck!-MikeJan Warnqvist wrote: Hello Win. assumable nothing else than keeping an extra fuel filter with you in
 the car. And also assuming that the biodiesel is of good quality. Jan Warnqvist AGERATEC AB [EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:
[EMAIL PROTECTED] + 46 554 201 89 +46 70 499 38 45 - Original Message - *From:* Vin Lava mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
 *To:* Biofuel@sustainablelists.org mailto:Biofuel@sustainablelists.org *Sent:* Sunday, December 11, 2005 8:06 AM
 *Subject:* [Biofuel] Vehicles suitable for biodiesel operation Hi, I'm setting up to homebrew biodiesel in a month or so. I'm being offered a 1985 Mercedes Benz 190D in reasonably decent
 condition. What do I need to do to use biodiesel in it? What should I look out for? We also have an early 90's Nissan Largo with the small (2.0L?) diesel and a mid-90's Isuzu Bighorn with
 the 3.1L intercooler turbodiesel. What do I need to do to run them on biodiesel? Any info would be much appreciated. :-) Thanks and regards. Vin Lava Manila, Philippines
  ___ Biofuel mailing list 
Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever:
 http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages):
 http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
___Biofuel mailing listBiofuel@sustainablelists.org
http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.orgBiofuel at Journey to Forever:http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html
Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages):http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
___Biofuel mailing listBiofuel@sustainablelists.org
http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.orgBiofuel at Journey to Forever:http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html
Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages):http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/

___
Biofuel mailing list
Biofuel@sustainablelists.org
http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org

Biofuel at Journey to Forever:
http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html

Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages):
http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/

[Biofuel] Waste Plastics into Oil

[Vin Lava]

Excerpts from ISIS Press Release 29/11/05 
Waste Plastics into Oil
What if the mountains of plastic wastes that blight
our landscapes and beaches spewing poisons from
incinerators and landfills could be transformed
overnight into combustible gas and diesel oil. Dr.
Mae-Wan Ho 

A fully referenced version of this paper is posted on
ISIS members’ website. Details here:

(Note: You must be an member to see the fully
referenced article, this is their members' page:
http://www.i-sis.org.uk/membership.php)

As the price of oil and gas soar, alternative energy
sources are rapidly becoming cost-effective by
comparison. One attractive option that has emerged is
diesel oil from waste plastics. 

Chinese oil refinery used waste plastics
The first report of turning plastic wastes into oil
came in 2001 from the People’s Daily, China’s English
language newspaper [1]. An oil refinery in Hunan
province had succeeded in processing 30 000 tonnes of
plastic wastes into 20 000 tonnes of gasoline and
diesel oil that satisfied the provincial standards.
Wang Xu, who built the refinery in 1999, started
experimenting with waste plastic processing in the
1980s, and later teamed up with Hunan University
doctoral tutor Zeng Guangming who gave him scientific
advice on decomposing plastic wastes. This may be one
reason why China has been importing enormous amounts
of plastic wastes (“Redemption from the plastic
wasteland”, this series).

See http://www.i-sis.org.uk/WPIO.php for the complete
article minus the references.

Regards.

Vin Lava
Manila, Philippines




__ 
Yahoo! Mail - PC Magazine Editors' Choice 2005 
http://mail.yahoo.com

___
Biofuel mailing list
Biofuel@sustainablelists.org
http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org

Biofuel at Journey to Forever:
http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html

Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages):
http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/

[Biofuel] Worldwatch Institute on renewables and biofuels

[Vin Lava]

Worldwatch Institute: November 15, 2005

Renewables 2005: Global Status Report
 Global investment in renewable energy set a new
record of $30 billion in 2004, according to a report
produced by Worldwatch Institute for the Renewable
Energy Policy Network for the 21st Century (REN21).
Technologies such as wind, solar, biomass, geothermal,
and small hydro now provide 160 gigawatts of
electricity generating capacity, about 4 percent of
the world total, the report finds. 

Renewable energy has become big business, said Eric
Martinot, lead author of Renewables 2005: Global
Status Report. Martinot, who is a Senior Fellow at the
Worldwatch Institute and a Lecturer at Tsinghua
University in Beijing, notes that renewable energy is
attracting some of the world's largest companies,
including General Electric, Siemens, Sharp, and Royal
Dutch Shell. The report estimates that nearly 40
million households worldwide heat their water with
solar collectors, most of them installed in the last
five years. Altogether, renewable energy industries
provide 1.7 million jobs, most of them skilled and
well-paying. 

Read the press release.
Download the Renewables 2005: Global Status Report.
(PDF)
Download the notes and references for the report.
(PDF) 

Favorable Policies Spur Biofuel Growth
Vital Signs Fact
 Production and use of biofuels—fuels derived from
crops and agricultural wastes—advanced rapidly in
2004, spurred by agricultural, environmental, and
consumer interests. Brazilian and U.S. government
efforts to provide alternatives to high-priced oil
helped grow the market for ethanol fuels in the 1980s,
but it then languished for much of the 1990s. Since
2000, however, rising environmental concerns, new
technologies, and the desire to find new income
streams for farmers have provided a large boost. 

The European Union is the third-largest producer of
biofuels but the leading manufacturer of biodiesel.
With the help of tax breaks for diesel fuel, nearly
1.6 billion liters of biodiesel were produced in
Europe in 2003, a 43-percent increase over 2001. Many
European vehicle manufacturers have approved the use
of 100-percent biodiesel in their engines. The growth
of biofuels may accelerate even further as more
countries introduce favorable policies. 

Read the full summary, download a free PDF of this
Vital Sign, or purchase Vital Signs 2005 in our Vital
Signs Facts Online Feature.





__ 
Yahoo! Mail - PC Magazine Editors' Choice 2005 
http://mail.yahoo.com

___
Biofuel mailing list
Biofuel@sustainablelists.org
http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org

Biofuel at Journey to Forever:
http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html

Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages):
http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/

[Biofuel] Ethanol in the Philippines - just put it in and go?

[Vin Lava]

 A new list member (hi there!) told listadmin this a
 few days ago:

 Ethanol has been introduced in Manila just this  
month and I'm getting excited about it. The rising 
costs of fuel is really a burden here and through 
this list,  I hope I would be able to gain lots of 
knowledge about Ethanol. Our government is   
encouraging us to use this fuel, they're telling  us
that we don't have to convert our engines in   order
for us to use Ethanol. I'm a little bit   hesitant
but I guess they're right coz I've been  reading
various sites from the web and they allsaid that
there's no for us to have our existing  engines
converted nor there are any bad effects in  using
Ethanol.

 Any comments?

 Best wishes

 Keith

Hi Keith,

Cocodiesel, yes. But I haven't seen ethanol outside of
the media yet. There are still a few problems to be
worked out - growing sorghum or sugarcane, where is it
going to be grown and who is going to grow it, setting
up the plants to process it, and getting it into the
tanks of our vehicles.

If they're going to use sugarcane, what happens to our
sugar supply?

The oil companies here have big bucks invested in
their facilities and it might not be in their best
interests to have ethanol easily available unless
there's money to be made for them.

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/man/2005/08/31/news/gas.firms.doubt.ethanol.can.be.used.as.alternative.fuel.right.away.html

Gas firms doubt ethanol can be used as alternative
fuel right away

There's also the problem of monoculture and growing
the crop sustainably. Mrs. Arroyo is in a bind here
with the questions raised about the credibility of her
election, Peak Oil, and Climate Change so I'd think
she'd like to give our people a few straws to clutch.

http://www.greencarcongress.com/2004/12/philippines_clo.html

Philippines Close to National Ethanol Program

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/dav/2005/08/29/news/ethanol.plant.to.benefit.davao.bukidnon.zubiri.html

Ethanol plant to benefit Davao, Bukidnon: Zubiri

These say we should have a 25% blend of ethanol by
2010, *if* our Congress passes the Energy Bill.

However, if this can be done on a village level, there
might be something in it. But it would still take a
while to set it up. I wouldn't hold my breath just
now. :-)

In the meantime, I'll start homebrewing BD in January.
And I don't have to wait for our government or anyone
else to do it for me. :-)

Regards.

Vin Lava
Manila, Philippines




__
Click here to donate to the Hurricane Katrina relief effort.
http://store.yahoo.com/redcross-donate3/

___
Biofuel mailing list
Biofuel@sustainablelists.org
http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org

Biofuel at Journey to Forever:
http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html

Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages):
http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/

[Biofuel] Happy Happy

[Vin Lava]

Hi Gustl,

Anytime! :-)

Regards.

Vin

::

Hallo Vin,

Ano na Kababayan, happy happy ba tayo!

Happy Happy,

Gustl




__
Click here to donate to the Hurricane Katrina relief effort.
http://store.yahoo.com/redcross-donate3/

___
Biofuel mailing list
Biofuel@sustainablelists.org
http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org

Biofuel at Journey to Forever:
http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html

Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages):
http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/

[Biofuel] UNNATURAL DISASTER: THE LESSONS OF KATRINA

[Vin Lava]

http://www.worldwatch.org/press/news/2005/09/02

September 02, 2005
UNNATURAL DISASTER: THE LESSONS OF KATRINA
Worldwatch Projects Catastrophe Will Be Most Costly
Weather-Related Disaster in History

Washington, D.C. –  The overwhelming human and
financial impacts of Hurricane Katrina are powerful
evidence that political and economic decisions made in
the United States and other countries have failed to
account for our dependence on a healthy resource base,
according to an assessment released today by the
Worldwatch Institute.

Alteration of the Mississippi River and the
destruction of wetlands at its mouth have left the
area around New Orleans abnormally vulnerable to the
forces of nature. According to many scientists, the
early results of global warming—90 degree Fahrenheit
water temperatures in the Gulf and rising sea
levels—may have exacerbated the destructive power of
Katrina.

“The catastrophe now unfolding along the U.S. Gulf
Coast is a wake-up call for decision makers around the
globe,” says Worldwatch President Christopher Flavin.
“If the world continues on its current
course—massively altering the natural world and
further increasing fossil fuel consumption—future
generations may face a chain of disasters that make
Katrina-scale catastrophes a common feature of life in
the 21st century.”

“The appalling images from New Orleans demonstrate
that the world’s richest country is not immune from
the need to respect natural systems and to invest in
their protection,” continued Flavin. This will likely
be the most expensive weather-related disaster the
world has ever faced. 

According to an assessment by Worldwatch researchers,
the long-term lessons of Katrina include:

Maintaining the integrity of natural ecosystems should
be a priority: Indiscriminate economic development and
ecologically destructive policies have left many
communities more vulnerable to disasters than they
realize. This, together with rapid population growth
in vulnerable areas, has contributed to worldwide
economic losses from weather-related catastrophes
totaling $567 billion over the last 10 years,
exceeding the combined losses from 1950 through 1989.
Losses in 2004 exceeded $100 billion for the second
time ever, and a new record will almost certainly be
set this year once Katrina’s damages are totaled. 

Short-term thinking is a dangerous approach to policy:
During the past few years, the U.S government has
diverted funding from disaster preparedness to help
finance the Iraq War, and has reduced protections for
wetlands in order to spur economic development. Both
decisions are now exacting costs that far exceed the
money saved. Natural ecosystems such as wetlands and
forests are often more valuable when left intact so as
to protect communities from floods, landslides,
drought, and other natural occurrences. Failure to
protect ecosystems contributed to the massive loss of
life when the tsunamis swept across the Indian Ocean
last year and when Hurricane Mitch killed 10,000
people in Central America in 1998. 

The links between climate change and weather-related
catastrophes need to be addressed by decision makers:
Although no specific storm can be definitively link to
climate change, scientists agree that warm water is
the fuel that increases the intensity of such storms
and that tropical seas have increased in temperature
by up to 2 degrees Fahrenheit over the past century.
(Katrina transformed rapidly from a Category 1 to a
Category 5 hurricane when it passed from the Atlantic
Ocean to the much warmer Gulf of Mexico.) In the next
few decades, water temperatures and sea levels will
continue to rise, greatly increasing the vulnerability
of many communities. Global warming and its
anticipated effects on the hydrological cycle will
make some areas more vulnerable as storms, floods, and
droughts increase in frequency and intensity. 

There is an urgent need to diversify energy supplies:
The national and global economic impact of Hurricane
Katrina is growing by the day, with consumers around
the world now paying significantly more for energy
than they were a week ago. Decades of failure to
invest in new energy options has left the world
dependent on oil and natural gas that are concentrated
in some of the world’s most vulnerable regions—the
U.S. Gulf Coast, the Persian Gulf, and the Niger Delta
in Africa. Biofuels and other renewable resources now
represent viable alternatives to fossil fuels, which
are not only vulnerable to natural disasters but could
have a big impact on the severity of future disasters.

- END -


--

Interviews: The following experts are available for
interviews in these areas: (Worldwatch Institute Press
Contact Information)

Christopher Flavin, Worldwatch Institute President: 

The links between climate change and weather-related
disasters 
Economic effects of skyrocketing fuel prices 
The potential for renewable energy sources to
diversify energy supplies 

[Biofuel] Happy Happy

[Vin Lava]

Hi Keith,

Hmmm. Imagine that! If any of you happen to find
yourselves in the Philippines, drop me a line and
we'll have Happy Happy (and talk biofuels too). :-)

Thanks and regards.

Vin Lava
Manila, Philippines

 Many of us here who are not Filipinos have fond and
 happy memories of the Philippines, including me.   
Ask Gustl why he ends his messages Happy Happy!

 Regards, and thanks again

 Happy Happy! (No matter what!)

 Keith




__
Do You Yahoo!?
Tired of spam?  Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around 
http://mail.yahoo.com 

___
Biofuel mailing list
Biofuel@sustainablelists.org
http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org

Biofuel at Journey to Forever:
http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html

Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages):
http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/

Re: [Biofuel] Katrina, who's to blame

[Vin Lava]

Date: Sat, 3 Sep 2005 01:27:19 +0900
From: Keith Addison [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: Re: [Biofuel] Katrina, who's to blame
To: Biofuel@sustainablelists.org
Message-ID: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii ;
format=flowed

Hi Keith,

 I do wish the large list membership in the global  
South would be a little more vocal, really I do,   
though I do understand some of the reasons they're 
not.

Here goes one Listmember from the South...

I know what the people in La, Al., and Ms. are going
through and I deeply sympathize with the hurricane
victims in the US Gulf Coast, having lived through a
few natural disasters that struck the Philippines:

Volcanic eruptions:
Taal Volcano in 1965
Mayon Volcano in 1968
Mt. Pinatubo in 1991

Earthquakes:
One in 1968 when a 6 storey building (Ruby Towers)
collapsed killing 200 people in an earthquake
measuring 7.3 on the Richter scales
Another one in 1990 when Baguio City and other places
in Northern Luzon were whacked by a major earthquake
measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale.

Typhoons:
From:
http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2004/dec/03/yehey/images/front.pdf
Oct. 11-15, 1970 Super Typhoon Sening 768 dead
Aug. 31- Sept. 4, 1984 Typhoon Nitang 1,363 dead
Nov. 3-6, 1984 Typhoon Undang 895 dead
Nov. 23-27, 1987 Super Typhoon Sisang 979 dead
Nov. 10-14, 1990 Super Typhoon Ruping 748 dead, P11
billion damage
Nov. 2-7, 1991 Tropical Storm Uring 5,000 to 8,000
dead, P1 billion damage.
Sept. 30 - Oct. 7, 1993 Typhoon Kadiang 576 dead, P9
billion in damage.
Oct. 30 - Nov. 4, 1995 Super Typhoon Rosing 936 dead,
P11 billion damage.
Oct. 15-24, 1998 Super Typhoon Loleng More than 300
dead, P7 billion damage.

That's just the Philippines; there are other countries
that have suffered (and will suffer) even more
destructive natural disasters as we are all aware.

The intense media coverage (and subsequent discussion)
of Hurricane Katrina and its tragic effects makes me
think that this just might serve as a signal for the
US Government and the American people to reexamine
current official and individual policies regarding
Climate Change, Peak Oil, and Sustainable Development
in general.

Regards.

Vin Lava
Manila, Philippines

__
Do You Yahoo!?
Tired of spam?  Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around 
http://mail.yahoo.com 

___
Biofuel mailing list
Biofuel@sustainablelists.org
http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org

Biofuel at Journey to Forever:
http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html

Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages):
http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/

[Biofuel] Diesel fuel retail price in the Philippines

[Vin Lava]

Hi,

In the Philippines (where they deregulated the fuel
industry a while back) diesel fuel costs US$0.51 per
liter more or less. And it's been going up
US$0.01/liter almost every two weeks!

Before anyone says it's cheap, the government-mandated
minimum daily wage is around US$0.56 per hour. One
hour's work at minimum wage will get you a little more
than a liter of diesel here at today's rates. And it's
been some time since the minimum wage was adjusted
upwards... :-(

Regards.

Vin Lava
Manila, Philippines




Start your day with Yahoo! - make it your home page 
http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs 
 

___
Biofuel mailing list
Biofuel@sustainablelists.org
http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org

Biofuel at Journey to Forever:
http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html

Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages):
http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/

[Biofuel] The Philippines, Negros, the NPA,, etc.

[Vin Lava]

Hi Keith,

I used to visit friends in Negros in the mid-80's
and saw how they were trying to cope with the
changed situation. It was so bad that the Maoist
New People's Army (NPA) were making inroads into
the Provincial Capital, Bacolod City. I had friends
who had sugar farms, and a couple of them were
involved in armed encounters with the NPA. We used
to go around Bacolod City packing .45's in a pickup
truck with 2 or 3 bodyguards armed with M-16's
sitting in the bed for backup. It was really tense
then.

I also had to do that, but I wasn't quite sure just
who it was that should be shot, probably not the NPA.

The NPA is the armed group of the Communist Party of
the Philippines (CPP), currently led by Jose Maria
Sison who is in the Netherlands now. The CPP is an
offshoot of the old Partido Komunista ng Pilipinas
(PKP) which they broke off from in the 60's in a
bitter and messy split. That's why I was tense
whenever I visited Negros then. :-)

My grandfather, Vicente Lava, Sr., studied in New York
University in the early 1900's, getting his Ph.D. in
Chemistry there. He also joined the Communist Party of
America. Upon his return to the Philippines, the PKP
was set up and he was one of the earliest Party
General Secretaries. During the Japanese Occupation in
WWII, their armed group, the HUKBALAHAP (Huks for
short) composed of peasants, workers, and
intellectuals, controlled large portions of the island
of Luzon and enforced a land reform program and the
big landlords of the time couldn't visit their
properties.

When the American Forces returned to the Philippines,
and the Cold War was already being hatched, the PKP
and the Huks were obviously a nuisance and a threat to
them. My Grandfather ran for Senator in 1946 and lost.
A brother of his, Jesus, ran for Congressman, won, and
was promptly unseated. The PKP was declared illegal
and they had to go underground. Vicente died in 1947
and his brothers Jesus and Jose remained with the
underground movement.

Jose was captured in 1950 in Manila and was
incarcerated until 1970. Jesus continued the struggle
until his capture in 1964. He was released in 1974
when the PKP and the Philippine Government concluded a
political settlement.

Jose Maria Sison was recruited into the PKP in the
early 60's at a time when the PKP was linking up with
the Indonesians and Chinese. My Father (Vicente, Jr.)
and his cousins were already involved in the movement
during this time. The CPP/NPA was formed, allegedly
with the assistance of Senator Benigno Aquino, the
late husband of President Corazon Cojuangco Aquino,
who belongs to one of the biggest landowning families
in the Philippines - the Cojuangcos. Aquino was
assassinated at the Manila International Airport upon
his return from years of exile in the US in August
1983.

The split and the political settlement passed on the
movement's leadership to the CPP/NPA by default.

It's been more than 30 years since the CPP/NPA started
and more than 70 years since the PKP was formed and we
are still a colony run by a small group of families
and their foreign partners. But PO just might change
this. :-)

I was there about 5 years ago and Negros is better
than it was in the 80's. They have diversified their
agriculture, and established more commercial and
manufacturing enterprises. I even know of one who
is a Fukuoka Farming advocate now.

When I was investigating this in 1983 there were
several local initiatives to get the haciendas to
diversify, including some good organics projects
that were having good results. Most of the hacienda
owners were farming by radio, staying in the
cities and talking to the farm managers by radio,
never going there for fear of facing the workers and
the hungry, displaced locals - several owners had had
their heads removed with a bolo by then. Fertile
ground for the NPA, if not for sugar.

That's exactly how it was. The NPA could be said to
have been in control of the Negros countryside at the
time. Much like the Huks in Central Luzon 40 years
earlier. But then again, like their predecessors,
they've seen their influence wane a bit since then.

I can see them producing ethanol like they do in
Brazil when we can no longer afford to import fossil
fuels.

They were producing quite a lot of ethanol in 1983  
(and seriously polluting rivers in the doing). Not
any more?

The island of Negros had (and I believe, still have)
the highest density of sugar mills in the country. I'd
say this was the major source of river pollution. The
government's ethanol program, while much hyped at the
time, never really got off the ground, and is now just
a footnote in our country's history. We're still
heavily dependent on imported petroleum. But with the
rising oil prices a sustainable way to produce ethanol
from sugar cane may well be economically viable at
some point. Same with biodiesel from coconuts. :-)

Regards.

Vin Lava
Manila, Philippines

P.S. Vicente, Sr. patented a process to extract oil
from fresh coconuts in the 30's

[Biofuel] Negros and the Philippine Sugar Industry

[Vin Lava]

Hi Keith,

For about 50 years or so starting in the 1930's, I
believe, the Philippines was the beneficiary of a
Sugar Quota from the US which bought sugar at above
world market prices. Those were the times when the
so-called Negros Sugar Bloc was King of the Roost
here. The President of the Philippines needed their
support to get elected. It was not rare to see a
family with hundreds of hectares planted to sugar
cane. The latest model cars, gadgets, and toys for the
big boys could be seen all over Negros.

In 1965 Ferdinand Marcos was elected Philippine
President with the support of the Sugar Bloc whose
members controlled parts of the Mass Media and the
Electricity Industry. In 1972, he declared Martial Law
and went after his erstwhile Masters (calling them
Oligarchs), taking over their businesses and throwing
some of them in jail. 

When the US Sugar Quota was discontinued, the
Philippine sugar industry had to compete on equal
terms with the rest of the world. Having been spoiled
and grown fat for a couple of generations, most
planters couldn't compete and only a few smart and
hardworking sugar farmers were able to survive on
lower prices for their crop.

Many of the sugar planters went into intensive culture
of prawns after the fall in sugar prices. That didn't
last either. The high stocking rates involved were
followed by disease after a few years. The surviving
operations learned to stock at a modest rate.

I used to visit friends in Negros in the mid-80's and
saw how they were trying to cope with the changed
situation. It was so bad that the Maoist New People's
Army (NPA) were making inroads into the Provincial
Capital, Bacolod City. I had friends who had sugar
farms, and a couple of them were involved in armed
encounters with the NPA. We used to go around Bacolod
City packing .45's in a pickup truck with 2 or 3
bodyguards armed with M-16's sitting in the bed for
backup. It was really tense then.

When the Philippine Agrarian Reform Program was
implemented starting in 1988, quite a few of them saw
their lands distributed to their tenants but a few
have managed to hold onto their properties until now.

I was there about 5 years ago and Negros is better
than it was in the 80's. They have diversified their
agriculture, and established more commercial and
manufacturing enterprises. I even know of one who is a
Fukuoka Farming advocate now. Wealth distribution has
improved to the point where big shopping malls are
surviving, if not prospering in Bacolod City. Negros
still produces a lot of sugar, but they do so with
less profit.

I can see them producing ethanol like they do in
Brazil when we can no longer afford to import fossil
fuels.

Regards.

Vin Lava
Manila, Philippines

::

http://journeytoforever.org/keith_phsoil.html
Nutrient Starved Soils Lead To Nutrient Starved
People

Now a Philippines government site says this:

Negros Occidental's economy was pivoted practically
around one commodity, Sugar which made it the
country's premier sugar producer. However, when the
world sugar prices plummeted during the early
1980's, the economy of Negros Occidental was
devastated. From 
that experience, Negrenses learned to diversify
their economy. Large tracts of sugar plantation were
converted into more profitable ventures such as
prawn and fish ponds, farms nurturing high value
crops and floral species, as well as livestock
fattening projects. Sugar still remains as the main
agricultural produce of the province with about 56%
of its land area planted to sugar cane...
http://www.nscb.gov.ph/ru6/negros.htm
negros

Best wishes

Keith




Start your day with Yahoo! - make it your home page 
http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs 
 

___
Biofuel mailing list
Biofuel@sustainablelists.org
http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org

Biofuel at Journey to Forever:
http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html

Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages):
http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/

[Biofuel] Corn thread

[Vin Lava]

Hi,

In the southern part of the Philippines corn is grown
both for human consumption and corn for animal feed.

Corn for human consumption is milled into cornmeal to
a size much like rice, boiled, and eaten much like
rice. Or eaten on the cob.

What is called Japanese Sweet Corn here is very
popular and found in most supermarkets. It's very
sweet and eaten on the cob.

I understand the Italian polenta also is made from
white and/or yellow cornmeal.

I was in South Africa once where I had some corn
porridge, Pap, I think they called it. I also
understand it is something of a staple there.

Regards.

Vin Lava
Philippines

Ray,

Thanks for the lesson, I did actually not realize
this difference and in this case the sweet corn is
very rare in Europe or the world outside of US. 
The common crop would be dent corn, but I think that
there are not many outside of US, who know the
difference. Apart from occasional corn on the 
cob, it is not a human food resource and certainly
not a staple food for humans. Spain, where I live,
grow a lot of dent corn and Spanish rarely eat 
corn. Sweden, where I come from, do not grow or eat
a lot of corn, I do not have any experiences from
any other country than US, where corn is a human
staple food resource.

It is always fun and valuable to learn more and this
list is a gold mine. It is so many knowledgeable
people on the list and from so many countries, that
it is easy to get addicted to the list.

Hakan





Start your day with Yahoo! - make it your home page 
http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs 
 

___
Biofuel mailing list
Biofuel@sustainablelists.org
http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org

Biofuel at Journey to Forever:
http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html

Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages):
http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/